40 Standout Players For 2024, 2025 At USA Baseball’s NTDP

USA Baseball brought together 80 of the top players in the country for its annual 16U/17U National Team Development Program in Cary, North Carolina.

Baseball America’s top four players in the 2024 class were there, along with other standouts from the 2024 and 2025 classes. In recent history, the NTDP has featured players who have turned into some of baseball’s best prospects today. Going back the last five years to the 2017 and 2018 rosters, in addition to Bobby Witt Jr., current Top 100 prospects Anthony Volpe, C.J. Abrams, Drew Romo, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Mick Abel and Masyn Winn all went through the program. So did first-rounders Spencer Jones, Austin Hendrick and Carson Tucker, as well as highly-ranked college players on our 2023 draft board like Dylan Crews, Enrique Bradfield and Yohandy Morales, among others.

This NTDP group had several players with the upside to join that tier of talent in the coming years. These were 40 of the players who stood out at the event.

P.J. Morlando, 2024 OF/1B, South Carolina

Morlando might be the most complete hitter in the country for 2024. The No. 12 player in the class showed why during a stellar NTDP, going 4-for-10 with a home run, a triple and a double. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, he’s strong, has big bat speed and some of the best raw power in the class. It all translates in games too, as Morlando has a pretty lefthanded swing with good balance and timing, staying through the hitting zone a long time to help him make frequent contact and drive the ball with impact to all fields. A Mississippi State commit, Morlando sets up with a wide base and keeps his head locked in throughout his swing and has a simple move to the ball, helping him track pitches well as he never expanded the zone or swung and missed during the NTDP. He showed good plate coverage too, demolishing a fastball at the top of the zone for a triple, punishing a fastball left out over the plate for a home run to right-center field and staying on a left-on-left slider down and on the third third for a double to left-center. As a corner outfielder and first baseman, Morlando’s value will come from what he does at the plate, and his talent there makes him a candidate to go in the early rounds of the 2024 draft.

Michael Mullinax, 2024 OF, Georgia

Mullinax is the No. 2 player in the 2024 class, with a balance of tools and skills at a premium position. He has an excellent offensive track record, even while often playing up against older competition, and he continued to perform well from both sides of the plate at the NTDP. The 6-foot, 190-pound center fielder had four hits (with two doubles and a triple) and two walks in three games. From the left side, he pulled a 92 mph fastball for a triple into the right field corner and drove a double the opposite way to score two runs. As a righthanded hitter, he pulled a pair of fastballs for a single and a double to left field. He showed an aggressive offensive approach at the NTPD and checks a lot of boxes scouts look for between his contact, power and ability to play center field with plus speed and a strong arm. He’s a Georgia commit.

Bryce Rainer, 2024 3B, California

Rainer entered the NTDP as the No. 3 player in the country and he left the event showing why he’s so highly regarded. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Rainer has good size with more strength projection remaining and a compact lefthanded swing with loft. He’s an advanced hitter for his age who delivered five hits and a walk in his 12 plate appearances, doing a good job of going with where the ball was pitched to use the whole field. Three of his hits came in left-on-left matchups, with a slider on the outer third that he drove for a single to the left-center gap, a curveball he stayed back on and shot the opposite way for a line-drive single and a fastball that he also deposited for a single to left field. Rainer has big power potential as well that he showed in games this spring and a strong arm that fits well on the left side of the infield. He’s committed to UCLA.

Owen Paino, 2024 SS, New York

Paino is one of the elite players in the 2024 class. Ranked No. 7 in the country, Paino is 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, but even more so than his physicality, it’s the ease of operation and smoothness that stands out with Paino. He didn’t swing and miss once during the NTDP, getting on base in three of his six plate appearance with a pair of walks and a single off a curveball that he roped to right field. A lefthanded hitter, Paino sets up with a wide base, no stride and tracks pitches well with a knack for being on time. It’s a smooth, simple and compact swing with good sequence, helping him barrel the ball consistently and get on base at a high clip. Paino is a Mississippi commit.

Tegan Kuhns, 2024 RHP, Pennsylvania

Kuhns showed why he’s the No. 16 player in the 2024 class as he struck out four of the 10 batters he faced in three scoreless innings. A Tennessee commit, Kuhns pitched at 89-92 mph, with the arm speed and strength projection in his lanky 6-foot-3, 165-pound frame for a significant uptick in velocity in the future. It’s an impressive fastball, but his best pitch is his curveball, which typically spins around 2,800 rpm with power at 77-80 mph. It was inconsistent in this look, but it still flashed as a sharp-breaking curveball with good depth to project as a plus pitch. Kuhns mostly attacks hitters with his fastball and curveball, but he also threw a good changeup at 82 mph with a lot of fade away and underneath the barrel of a lefty for a swinging strikeout.

Noah Franco, 2025 LHP/OF, California

Franco is one of the premier players in the 2025 class, with a bright future both on the mound and as an outfielder. Franco has an outstanding pitcher’s build at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with broad shoulders, long arms and lots of room to fill out to continue to grow what’s already a high-end fastball for 16. Franco pitched at 89-91 mph and touched 92 at the NTDP, with the look of a future mid-to-upper 90s arm. In two innings, Franco got five swings and misses on his 77-80 mph slider with three-quarters action across the zone. Franco only threw a couple of changeups here in the upper-70s, but they had showed better separation off his fastball than he showed earlier in the summer, and it’s a pitch with good tumble at its best. Franco has had a big summer offensively as well, something he added to at the NTDP. He has a lefthanded swing that’s geared to lift the ball, which he showed on a changeup left up in the zone that he pulled for a home run. A Mississippi State commit, Franco is from Downey, Calif. but goes to school at IMG Academy in Brandeton, Fla.

Konnor Griffin, 2024 OF/SS/RHP, Mississippi

Griffin reclassified from the 2025 class after his high school season and became the No. 1 player in the 2024 class. He’s a superb athlete with a long, rangy build at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds with broad shoulders, a high waist and a ton of space to add more strength. Griffin only got four plate appearances here, but his athleticism was still evident as he made a diving catch in right field after he broke well off the bat charging in on the ball, and his track record between the spring and summer has been excellent. On the mound, Griffin attacked hitters up in the zone with an 88-91 mph fastball that can touch higher and should increase once he layers on more strength. He also showed feel to spin a hard curveball in the upper 70s that’s ahead of his low-80s changeup.

Derek Curiel, 2024 OF, California

The No. 4 player in the 2024 class, Curiel is a polished hitter for his age and a fluid mover on both sides of the ball. He has a short, efficient swing from the left side with some of the best contact skills in the class, something he showed with zero swings and misses at the NTDP. A center fielder with above-average speed and good defensive actions in center field, Curiel picked up two hits at the NTDP, including a single on a 90 mph fastball. He’s committed to Louisiana State.

Andre Modugno, 2024 3B, New Jersey

Modugno, the No. 13 player for 2024, has a rare mix of size, athleticism and tools, with the strength projection on his still lean frame for those tools to continue getting better. He’s 6-foot-5, 200 pounds and moves around extremely well for his size with plus speed underway. His arm is one of the strongest in the class, while his bat speed and raw power also stack up among the best in the country for a 2024. Modugno also performed well at the NTDP, going 3-for-6 with a double that he pulled for a line drive down the left field line, another fastball that he lined for a single to left field and another single back up the middle. Modugno is a Duke commit at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

Cade Arrambide, 2024 C, Texas

Behind the plate, Arrambide checks just about everything scouts could ask for from a 16-year-old catcher. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Arrambide is loose, agile and flexible behind the plate. His athleticism and mobility help him block balls well, including an excellent play with a righthanded hitter up to block a breaking ball in the dirt half way into the lefthanded batter’s box and keep it on front of him. Arrambide’s plus arm strength stacks up among the best in the 2024 class, while his footwork and exchange help him get rid of the ball efficiently, leading to pop times that can get under 1.9 seconds in game. Arrambide also has good power and the strength projection for more to come, with a swing path geared to lift the ball from the right side. He pulled a fastball for a double down the left field line, while his best contact of the series came on a fastball he drove deep to left-center field that’s a home run at most high school fields, but the center fielder made a great play to track it down for the out. Arrambide is committed to LSU.

Trey Snyder, 2024 SS, Missouri

A Tennessee commit ranked No. 28 in the 2024 class, Snyder is a bouncy athlete at shortstop with plus speed and a quick first step. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Snyder showed well with the bat too, going 3-for-7 with a pair of doubles. He’s an aggressive hitter who pounced on a first-pitch fastball up on the inner third, taking a tight turn with his swing to work his fast hands inside the ball and drive it for a deep double to the left field warning track. He also showed good bat control with two outs and a runner on second against Levi Sterling, who throws one of the best curveballs in the 2024 class, pulling a 1-2 curveball for a single to left field to drive in a run.

Coleman (Kash) Mayfield, 2024 LHP, Oklahoma

If we use the term “hitterish” to describe players who have the look of a talented pure hitter, we throw a “pitcherish” tag on Mayfield, the No. 26 player in the 2024 class. He looks the part at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds with easy operation on the mound from a crossfire delivery that’s otherwise smooth and low effort. His feel for pitching is advanced, with a great track record of throwing strikes and the ability to mix his stuff. He pitched at 86-89 mph, generally where he has been throughout the summer, with a lot of strikes and a chance to be sitting in the low-90s or better once he adds more weight. Mayfield also has good feel to spin a low-70s curveball that’s one of the better lefthanded breaking balls in the 2024 class and should only improve as he gets stronger and adds more power behind that pitch. He’s committed to Oklahoma State.

Jackson Sanders, 2024 LHP, Alabama

The No. 27 player in the 2024 class, Sanders is 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, athletic with excellent arm speed from the left side. He’s already one of the hardest throwers in the class, pitching at 90-93 mph at the NTDP with the physical projection for mid-to-upper 90s velocity eventually. Sanders added to what’s already been a strong summer by striking out four of the eight batters he faced at the NTDP, walking two without allowing a hit or a run in two innings. Sanders’ fastball is his best pitch, but he showed some feel for a 76-80 mph slider with short break as well. He’s an Auburn commit.

Cooper Williams, 2024 LHP, Texas

Cooper keeps growing, up to 6-foot-4 but still 165 pounds, a build that screams projection for him to add to what’s already a good fastball for his age. Cooper pitched at 86-91 mph and did a good job syncing up his delivery for a slender, long-limbed pitcher his age. He threw 20 of 30 pitches for strikes (67%) as he struck out three of the seven batters he faced with one hit and one walk in two scoreless innings. Williams mixed in a solid slider that he showed some feel for, and while he only threw one changeup, that’s been an effective pitch for him in other outings this summer that he sells well off his fastball. Williams is committed to Texas A&M.

Ford Thompson, 2024 LHP, Georgia

A Georgia commit and one of the younger players in the 2024 class, Ford’s feel for pitching is advanced for his age. He added to what has already been a strong summer with a good showing at the NTDP, tossing two shutout innings with one hit, one walk and two strikeouts. At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Thompson did that despite throwing almost exclusively fastballs, touching 91 mph here with a chance to be sitting more regularly in the low-90s next spring. Thompson only threw a couple of low-70s curveballs here, but he has shown good rotation on that pitch in previous outings.

Levi Sterling, 2024 RHP, California

Sterling stands out for his highly projectable 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame and a relatively simple, fluid delivery. At 15, he’s one of the youngest players in the class, pitching here at 86-90 mph and touching 92, with the physical upside for a lot more in the tank with natural strength progression in the coming years. He has a good track record of throwing strikes that continued at the NTDP. Sterling only threw a few breaking balls here, but he showed feel to spin a curveball that has been a sharp snapper this summer with the potential to miss a lot bats, along with a solid changeup for his age as well. Sterling is a Texas commit.

David Hogg II, 2024 SS, Texas

Hogg, No. 32 in the 2024 class, has been a steady, consistent performer with strong baseball instincts, even while playing up against older competition for much of the summer. It was more of the same at the NTDP, where he went 3-for-6 with a double and two walks. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Hogg sets up at the plate with a wide base, takes a small stride, tracks pitches well and takes a righthanded swing with a flat pat through the zone. The LSU commit covered a fastball at the top of the zone that he sent to the right-center field gap for a double, then showed his ability to handle quality velocity by pulling a 92 mph fastball on the inner third for a single to left field.

Sean Gamble, 2025 SS/OF, Iowa

An Iowa native who attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Gamble is one of the premier 2025 players in the nation. He’s 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and a high-level offensive performer, both in terms of contact and power from the left side to go with his impressive athleticism. Gamble showed well at the NTDP, getting a fastball up that he pulled for a triple to the right-center field gap. He’s uncommitted for college.

Danny Arambula, 2024 INF, California

Arambula was one of the top offensive performers at the NTDP, going 3-for-8 with a walk and a home run that he hit on a fastball left up and out over the heart of the plate that he sent over the left-center field fence. He also drilled a fastball back up the middle for a line-drive single and barreled a fastball again for a hard liner on a single to left field. Arambula is 6 feet, 180 pounds with an aggressive approach and a high-contact hitter committed to Louisiana State.

Slade Caldwell, 2024 OF, Arkansas

Caldwell is a 2024 outfielder who is younger than several 2025 players but stands out for his maturity at the plate. At 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, Caldwell has a shorter build but uses that smaller strike zone to his advantage, taking a disciplined approach with the bat-to-ball skills to produce frequent contact from the left side. A Mississippi commit, Caldwell is also a good athlete with plus speed in center field.

Triston Bristow, 2024 RHP, Texas

A Vanderbilt commit ranked No. 31 for 2024, Bristow is on the younger end of the class with good mechanics and a fastball that was 88-90 mph at the NTDP. Bristow has touched a couple ticks higher this summer, with the physical projection in his 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame for more velocity to come. Bristow’s fastball was his best pitch here, but he showed solid feel for a mid-70s curveball as well.

 

Easton Barrett, 2024 LHP/OF, Utah

At 6 feet, 170 pounds, Barrett pounded the strike zone with three pitches, consistently getting ahead of hitters with the ability to throw everything for strikes as he struck out three of the seven hitters he faced with no walks in two scoreless innings. He has a sound, efficient delivery that he repeated, pitching down in the zone with his fastball at 87-89 mph with the ability to reach the low-90s in other outings. An Arizona State commit, Barrett also got two swings and misses on his low-80s changeup and showed a solid curveball at 76-78 mph that he landed in the zone consistently. At the plate, Barrett did a nice job pulling his hands inside a 92 mph fastball for a line-drive single to left field.

Boston Bateman, 2024 LHP/1B, California

At 6-foot-7, 245 pounds, Bateman is an enormous lefty with a power arm, sitting in the low-90s and touching 93 mph. He threw a curveball at 76-78 mph that was inconsistent but did get a swinging strikeout. Like a lot of young pitchers his size, Bateman is still learning to sync up his delivery consistently, but it’s some of the best present velocity in the 2024 class. An Arizona State commit, Bateman is a two-way player and the unusual lefthanded thrower who hits exclusively righthanded, with a lot of strength and leverage in his swing. He hit a line drive to center field off a fastball for a single and could have had a couple more hits on a curveball he drove deep into the left-center field gap and a fastball he barreled for hard contact down the left field line that both were caught.

Hayden Federico, 2024 SS, Louisiana

There are few players in the 2024 class with better pure bat-to-ball skills than Federico. He tracks the ball well and has an accurate barrel with good plate coverage from both sides of the plate, making him a difficult player to strike out. At 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Federico has gap power with a line-drive approach. His bat is his calling card, but Federico also made one of the better defensive plays of the NTDP while playing third base, diving to snare a groundball in the 6-5 hole and making an accurate throw to first from the ground in time for the out. Federico nearly did it again at second base, breaking well off the bat of Derek Curiel on a grounder to his right that he made a diving play to field on his backhand and got up quickly to throw to first, but not in time to to get Curiel with his speed. Federico is committed to Mississippi.

Chandler Murray, 2024 1B/3B, Hawaii

All summer, Murray has been a hit collector. That’s a trend that continued in Cary as Murray was one of the top performers at the NTDP, going 3-for-6 with a double and three walks. Murray has a tall, physical build at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and made hard contact throughout the event, staying through the ball well to use the middle of the field. He lifted a fastball on the outer third the opposite way for a double into the right-center field gap and a pair of smoked line drives back up the middle for singles. He’s uncommitted for college.

Talan Bell, 2024 LHP/OF, Florida

Bell struck out four of the seven batters he faced with no walks and one hit allowed in two shutout innings. At 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, Bell isn’t that big but he is an athletic lefty with a fast arm who threw strikes with an 88-90 mph fastball. His most effective pitch at the NTDP was his low-80s changeup, which induced four empty swings and froze another hitter for a called strike in a 3-2 count. Bell pitched down in the zone effectively with his fastball, with his changeup playing well off that pitch and a curveball mixed in as well for the Florida State commit. At the plate he showed a patient approach, drawing three walks in six plate appearances.

Michael Torres, 2025 OF/LHP, Florida

A lefthanded outfielder committed to Miami, Torres is 5-foot-11, 170 pounds with a short, direct swing that he showed by lacing a fastball for a double the opposite way into the left-center field gap and again when he sent a single into left field. Torres has a strong arm too that he showed on the mound, running his fastball up to 89 mph in a quick, 1-2-3 inning on 12 pitches with strikeouts against two of the three batters he faced.

Kayson Cunningham, 2025 SS, Texas

A Texas Tech commit, Cunningham has a hitterish look from the left side of the plate as one of the most advanced offensive players in the 2025 class. At 5-foot-9, 160 pounds, Cunningham has a short, adjustable swing with good rhythm, sequence and a knack for being on time. It’s a hit-over-power profile with good strike-zone judgment and bat control, something he showed by staying back on a curveball that he drove up the middle for a single.

Vaughn Neckar, 2025 RHP, California

Neckar has outstanding velocity for his age, already sitting in the low-90s and touching 93 mph at 15 during his NTDP outing. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Neckar is physically mature for his age with a strong lower half, helping him produce one of the hardest fastballs in the 2025 class. He threw 19 of his 24 fastballs (79%) for strikes too, and at times showed feel for a curveball at 74-78 mph. Neckar is committed to Louisiana State.

Ryan Sloan, 2024 RHP, Illinois

Sloan has grown taller and started to fill out what’s now a 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame, leading to one of the bigger fastballs in the 2024 class. He struck out four of the 10 batters he faced in two scoreless innings. He did walk three as he had trouble controlling his fastball, but he showed a power arm by sitting at 88-92 mph and touching 93. His main secondary pitch was a slider with short break, mixing in an occasional changeup that did get a swinging strike against the No. 2 player in the 2024 class, Michael Mullinax. Sloan is a Wake Forest commit.

Zach Strickland, 2025 RHP, California

Strickland cruised through three innings, allowing only one run that was unearned with no hits, one walk and five strikeouts of the 11 batters he faced. He’s one of the most advanced 2025 pitchers in the country, a UCLA commit with a lean 6-foot-1, 165-pound build that has more room to fill out and a starter look with his easy, low-effort delivery. He pitched off an 87-91 mph fastball, working in a low-70s curveball that he showed feel to spin and a changeup that he only threw three times but did get a swinging strike once.

Matthew Champion, 2024 RHP/3B, California

Champion is an intriguing two-way player committed to LSU. At 6 feet, 175 pounds, he ran his fastball up to 90 mph and there should be more in the tank, with a power curveball that was 77-79 mph here and can get into the lower-80s with good depth. Champion showed feel for a low-80s changeup as well that generated a couple of empty swings against lefties. At the plate, Champion showed an aggressive approach and has good bat-to-ball skills, pulling a double into the left-center field gap off a fastball.

Micah Matthews, 2025 OF, Virginia

Matthews has a promising blend of size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds), athleticism and power potential. A South Carolina commit, Matthews already drives the ball well for his age, with fast hands and the strength projection in his frame for that power to continue to grow. He showed patience to get on base with walks in three of his eight plate appearances and nearly got on a fourth time when he smashed a fastball that the left fielder caught on a sliding grab.

Leighton Harris, 2024 OF/1B/LHP, Kentucky

Harris has a long, lean build at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds with more physical projection remaining. He stood out at the NTDP for his ability to handle the bat from the left side with a good approach and lots of contact. He swing works well and he has shown the ability to handle pitches up and down the zone. He singled, drew a walk and didn’t strike out in six plate appearances, pulling a fastball down and in for a single to right field and driving a fastball in a left-on-left matchup deep the opposite way for a hard out. Harris is a Kentucky commit.

Elijah Clayton, 2024 SS, California

The son of 17-year major league shortstop Royce Clayton, Elijah is an athletic shortstop with plus speed at 5-foot-10, 165 pound. He showed off his defensive skills with a great play at second base, shading toward the bag at second with a runner on first and ranging to his left on a sharp ground ball that he dove to field cleanly and get up quickly to record the out at first. Clayton was a hit collector at the NTDP, going 4-for-8 with an aggressive approach, driving a first-pitch fastball for a single and collecting his three other hits in two-strike counts, including two on breaking balls. He’s uncommitted for college.

Nolan Traeger, 2024 C, Texas

Traeger turned 16 last month, so he’s one of the youngest players in the 2024 class. A Texas Christian commit ranked No. 45 for 2024, Traeger is 6 feet, 180 pounds and stood out defensively as an athletic mover who consistently blocked balls well. Even in just a few games, he smothered six curveballs in the dirt, positioning his body well to deaden the ball and keep it in front of him. One one of them he made a head-up play with a runner on second base who was drifting too far toward third base, with Traeger alertly looking the runner back before firing the ball to second for the out. At the plate, the lefthanded-hitting Traeger reached base four times in nine plate appearances with a single and three walks.

Gabriel Tirado, 2024 C, Connecticut

Tirado only got three plate appearances at the NTDP, but you don’t need many swings to recognize the high-end bat speed he has. At 5-foot-9, 205 pounds, Tirado is a lefthanded hitter with the ability to whip the barrel through the zone in a hurry, and he made the most of his playing time here by getting ahead in the count 3-0 before smashing a fastball for an opposite-field double over the left fielder’s head. Tirado is a Connecticut commit.

Brendon Bennett, 2024 LHP, Michigan

At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Bennett showed a promising fastball/curveball combination from the left side. He ran his fastball up to 91 mph and got a few swings and misses with a big-breaking curve in the low-70s. Bennett is a Clemson commit.

Ariston Veasey, 2024 C/RHP, Georgia

Veasey’s plus arm strength stacks up among the best in the country for a 2024 catcher. On two occasions, he blocked a breaking ball in the dirt where the runner unsuccessfully broke for second before Veasey picked up the ball and unleashed a laser for the caught stealing. He also nearly erased a runner at first base on a back pick attempt. A Georgia commit, Veasey is one of the better defensive catchers in the 2024 class, but he also hopped on the mound and touched 92 mph and struck out a batter in a 1-2-3 inning on seven pitches.

Jaxon Walker, 2024 OF, Tennessee

A Georgia commit ranked No. 39 in the 2024 class, Walker is a lefty with a short, quick swing. A lean, athletic 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, Walker stood out for his athleticism and center field tools. He’s able to accelerate quickly, chasing balls down with good closing speed as a plus-plus runner, and he took efficient routes as well.